[CLOSED][APP][5.0+] FairEmail - Fully featured, open source, privacy oriented email app

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zivonex

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2013
117
17
Hey dear M66B,

I am sad to about the discontinue of the project yet if you're feeling better and liberated with that decision I am happy for you!

- Long time FairEmail user (paid version), shortly after found that app Ive purchased it and made it my daily-driver and default application.
P.S about the frequent updates - Loved it, it showed that you care for that and always evolving and trying to find a better way.

I wish you have a great life full with creations and happiness, Thanks for the hard work!
 

broccoli_2k

Member
May 27, 2021
7
8
Sorry to hear this, it's a great email app and a real shame to see another good thing trodden under google's dirty boots. But if it's too much to deal with then you have every right to drop it, don't martyr yourself with stress.

Sending best wishes to you and yours.
 

Segelflugpilot

Senior Member
Mar 8, 2016
89
16
I can understand how corrosive it must be to be exposed to someone like that.
Your app is great and I'm going to do a devil and use another app because none comes close to your app Marcel. Right after a week with your app, I bought the Pro version right away, because your app was just everything I was looking for. I very much hope that the app will somehow be further developed and if there is a fork. Thank you for your great work!
 

emacsomancer

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2014
82
14
One of the comments I read today was saying the opposite of this.
That's unfortunate. I've cited FairEmail's model more than once as a seemingly excellent way to go about doing funded FOSS development.
When people buy an app, they buy the current application, they don't buy promises of future code. Every update on top of that must be seen as a bonus.

That is to say, you don't owe people sh*t.

Agreed. I've got more than my money's worth from FairEmail, whatever happens now.
 

192.168.0.0

New member
May 19, 2022
2
0
Google Play may be an important source of installation, but for privacy-oriented / loyal users, the third-party sources (GitHub/F-droid/...) may be better or acceptable.
Yup, as a privacy-oriented user, Google Play is nothing but hell. Aurora Store is down most of the time I try it and it takes ages to install anything (I don't blame them for this, I guess they do their best with their resources, still it's hell). So yup, any time I can get an APK from anywhere else, I happily do.
 

cobbert

New member
May 19, 2022
3
10
I use and paid for Fairemail and would be willing to donate time and money your way if you ever consider coming back to your projects. I think it extremely important for people like us to fight against what google wants. I think we all need to be using de-googled phone and hosting all our own emails. Fairemail is the only email client that I have come to love deeply. I love all the options and I really love the pgp intergration of openkeychain app. I only use software that is available without any google code and to hear your email app will not be maintained anymore makes me extremely sad.

I have crypto, cash, time, servers, or anything else that could possibly help run this project. Id go as far as forking it and maintaining it myself, but I'm **** at coding.

In the end, this application has literally brought me joy in my life and everyone I know uses it including my fiancé! Having your own postfix server and this app together is a match made in whatever sciences version of heaven is and I will honestly be extremely sadden to see it go and I am even more hurt to hear my contribution hasn't been enough and I am willing to change that and provide whatever I can to ensure this app lives on not only to give me a great app but to also give a huge middle finger to Google after they think they have won this match. The open source android community is strong enough still to stick it too google once again!

Edit: I'm also deeply sorry you have had to deal with so much negativity from normies on the google store. Your app is truly fantastic and I will use it as long as I can as there is no other option in my mind.

Edit: I'm donating 40 euro as my thank you for all your work. It is truly going to be missed.

Edit: Bitty Donation Just another thank you
 
Last edited:

mkasimd

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2021
233
460
Düsseldorf
I use and paid for Fairemail and would be willing to donate time and money your way if you ever consider coming back to your projects. I think it extremely important for people like us to fight against what google wants. I think we all need to be using de-googled phone and hosting all our own emails. Fairemail is the only email client that I have come to love deeply. I love all the options and I really love the pgp intergration of openkeychain app. I only use software that is available without any google code and to hear your email app will not be maintained anymore makes me extremely sad.

I have crypto, cash, time, servers, or anything else that could possibly help run this project. Id go as far as forking it and maintaining it myself, but I'm **** at coding.

In the end, this application has literally brought me joy in my life and everyone I know uses it including my fiancé! Having your own postfix server and this app together is a match made in whatever sciences version of heaven is and I will honestly be extremely sadden to see it go and I am even more hurt to hear my contribution hasn't been enough and I am willing to change that and provide whatever I can to ensure this app lives on not only to give me a great app but to also give a huge middle finger to Google after they think they have won this match. The open source android community is strong enough still to stick it too google once again!

Edit: I'm also deeply sorry you have had to deal with so much negativity from normies on the google store. Your app is truly fantastic and I will use it as long as I can as there is no other option in my mind.

Edit: I'm donating 40 euro as my thank you for all your work. It is truly going to be missed.
Fighting against Google only works if hundreds of thousands or Millions of people join that action. Even just a mere 1 - 5 k people won't make a difference for them. That's the reality behind the power imbalance where the customer can't seriously affect any change unless it's a significantly huge number or there's massive medial representation and outrage about this issue. But let's be realistic, this issue won't make into the headlines of any major news outlets for the general public.

The only feasible way is to take a legal action. But doing this requires time, patience, a lot of funds and being backed by a well-known group like e.g. EFF. If Marcel is interested, I can ask EFF on his behalf, though my only contacts there are just to the people keeping books and maintaining member relations as I'm just a small-time sustained EFF member and supporter — if someone else has better connections, she or he may shout out here. But it could still be worth asking around and seeing if they're interested as Marcel isn't the only individual dev bullied by Google and achieving a precedential case on this might help the whole FOSS community.
 

cobbert

New member
May 19, 2022
3
10
Fighting against Google only works if hundreds of thousands or Millions of people join that action. Even just a mere 1 - 5 k people won't make a difference for them. That's the reality behind the power imbalance where the customer can't seriously affect any change unless it's a significantly huge number or there's massive medial representation and outrage about this issue. But let's be realistic, this issue won't make into the headlines of any major news outlets for the general public.

The only feasible way is to take a legal action. But doing this requires time, patience, a lot of funds and being backed by a well-known group like e.g. EFF. If Marcel is interested, I can ask EFF on his behalf, though my only contacts there are just to the people keeping books and maintaining member relations as I'm just a small-time sustained EFF member and supporter — if someone else has better connections, she or he may shout out here. But it could still be worth asking around and seeing if they're interested as Marcel isn't the only individual dev bullied by Google and achieving a precedential case on this might help the whole FOSS community.
My wording of fight against google may be a bit extreme. More mean that we can just refuse to use google as a way to express our feelings, not that it would realistically do anything in a legal or global view. :)
 

Smac89

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2012
53
7
Pro user here.

Aww man, that's sad to hear. I convinced my school's IT department to whitelist fairemail so that we can use it to access our school outlook emails.

It was just a terrific app. I've been following your progress on github and it's just crazy the amount of work you put out everyday, I wonder sometimes, "does he have a team?", "does he eat/sleep?", "when does he have time to do all this?". I check the commits and you are actually adding real functionality to the app EVERY TIME. That's mad bro.

Anyways it was fun while it lasted. I will keep using it until usability becomes an issue. Hopefully someone picks up the project again. You deserve this rest.
 
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rfrazier

Senior Member
Apr 29, 2012
407
209
Oxford
www.rlfrazier.org
Sorry to hear this. I've been using FairEmail for about a year and a half. Moved to it from K-9 mail, as I needed OAuth. It is a very useful app. I'm one of those who donated a few Euros. :)

Good luck, and best wishes,
Bob
 

topcaser

Senior Member
Dec 17, 2005
865
117
This is really sad that you are discontinuing the project. A few posts before you claimed that you will maintain the project anyway regardless what happens. But you changed your mind. This is not very continously. Therefore I hope that you at least will change your mind again maybe if some time goes by and support the app with bug fixes, security fixes and support for upcoming Android releases. At least fairmail is your baby and you can be proud of this piece of software. Typically a baby isn't neglected.

Anyway, fairmail was a one man show and it was a matter of time unless you discontinue the project either wanted or unwanted.
 

M66B

Recognized Developer
Aug 1, 2010
26,751
57,997
This is really sad that you are discontinuing the project. A few posts before you claimed that you will maintain the project anyway regardless what happens. But you changed your mind. This is not very continously. Therefore I hope that you at least will change your mind again maybe if some time goes by and support the app with bug fixes, security fixes and support for upcoming Android releases. At least fairmail is your baby and you can be proud of this piece of software. Typically a baby isn't neglected.

Anyway, fairmail was a one man show and it was a matter of time unless you discontinue the project either wanted or unwanted.
Although I expressed my emotions here on several occasions, which I consider as healthy, I would call myself a rather stable person. However, the world around me is much bigger than I am and inevitably has an influence on me, often in unforeseen ways.

I see a lot of focus on Google removing the app from the Play store, which plays a role, but isn't the single deciding factor. I did write down most of the factors in the "balance" comment two days ago.
 
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AndroidX

Senior Member
Sep 28, 2016
338
265
Switch
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro
The balance

The few euros I receive in return for what's being offered and the fun of developing things are no compensation for the thousands of questions I answer every month, for unfair Play store reviews and for stress about unclear Google requirements.


The verdict

I have not reached a conclusion yet, but the question I am asking myself is why I would continue with the project. Maybe it is the moment, with a sick girlfriend, but I currently don't see it.


Alternatives

GitHub only version: 98% of the audience will be lost.

Strip down the app: more bad reviews

Paid support: more bad reviews

Stop answering questions: more bad reviews

Bad reviews will shift the balance only in the wrong direction.


Core problem

Google. There is no sensible way to appeal in case of bad reviews or alleged violations of Play store policies.

People. They are generally pretty demanding and on the other hand everything should be free.

Myself. An old and grumpy developer, who maybe should retired.


Input is welcome.
I agree with you @M66B some user just give bad review coz they dont know how can they use it and some user give bad review just coz you dont help them for cheating some program its really suck as a dev its really demotivate and even some time i feel same we r dev just slave of users?even some time i see some user misbehave coz as a dev we dont response their ****ty questions.People dont understand paying some $ it doesnt mean you can think dev a slave for them
Even i see some so called modders decompile our work and after some modification they give credit to themeself what about us who invest our time and hard work.

I appericate your decision we made apps for fun and our passion not for become a slave.
 

adsamcik

Senior Member
Apr 9, 2009
114
10
Google Nexus 4
HTC Desire HD
Hi Marcel,
It is sad, that you are discontinuing the project as there is nothing like FairMail. However I understand and support your decision. Working with Google is incredibly frustrating and you have to deal with every whim they have with no way to defend yourself. While I would love to see FairMail maintained I don't want the person behind it to feel shackled by it.

I know first hand how frustrating working with Google is. They make random decisions, do stupid API changes and more ****. In theory Android is open, but thats not really true, because if you want to go outside the Google bubble, you either have to be in China or reach only a tiny audience. For developers who do it mostly because they want to, it becomes work rather than a hobby. I maintained an open-source app myself and over time I spent more time just updating it for newer Android version than developing anything new. I ended up burnt out and basically switched to maintenance mode only.

I hope the legacy of FairMail will continue in the future in someway. Once you take some time from this, please give another thought to the future of FairMail. It's fine if your decision stays the same, but sometimes time is enough to give you another perspective and maybe find a new way forward, even if you are not the one who maintains it. You put so much work into it that I think it would be a shame just let it collect virtual dust.

I wish you the best of luck on whatever you decide to do next. Thank you for creating FairMail in the first place. It's obvious it took a lot of work and passion to create it.
 

nadir husain

Senior Member
Aug 31, 2019
354
407
Hi Marcel,
It is sad, that you are discontinuing the project as there is nothing like FairMail. However I understand and support your decision. Working with Google is incredibly frustrating and you have to deal with every whim they have with no way to defend yourself. While I would love to see FairMail maintained I don't want the person behind it to feel shackled by it.

I know first hand how frustrating working with Google is. They make random decisions, do stupid API changes and more ****. In theory Android is open, but thats not really true, because if you want to go outside the Google bubble, you either have to be in China or reach only a tiny audience. For developers who do it mostly because they want to, it becomes work rather than a hobby. I maintained an open-source app myself and over time I spent more time just updating it for newer Android version than developing anything new. I ended up burnt out and basically switched to maintenance mode only.

I hope the legacy of FairMail will continue in the future in someway. Once you take some time from this, please give another thought to the future of FairMail. It's fine if your decision stays the same, but sometimes time is enough to give you another perspective and maybe find a new way forward, even if you are not the one who maintains it. You put so much work into it that I think it would be a shame just let it collect virtual dust.

I wish you the best of luck on whatever you decide to do next. Thank you for creating FairMail in the first place. It's obvious it took a lot of work and passion to create it.
Beautifully written
 
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    ic_launcher.png

    FairEmail
    Open source, privacy friendly email app for Android

    banner7_long.png


    See here for a description:
    https://github.com/M66B/open-source-email/

    See here for screenshots:
    https://email.faircode.eu/#screenshots

    Downloads:
    https://github.com/M66B/open-source-email#user-content-downloads

    Frequently asked questions:
    https://github.com/M66B/open-source-email/blob/master/FAQ.md

    Please read this before requesting a new feature:
    https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/blob/master/FAQ.md#user-content-get-support

    This XDA thread is about using the latest version of FairEmail.

    For support on authorizing an account, you should consult the documentation of your provider, see also here.

    Off-topic comments are allowed as long they are related to FairEmail and are in the general interest of the followers of this thread.

    Discussion of purchases is not allowed here, please contact me via here instead.
    69
    How was the call with Google today, Marcel?

    Google was pretty friendly and cooperative and told me the favicons are indeed the problem, and it can/should be fixed by updating in the privacy policy to "disclose how your app accesses, collects, uses, and shares user data":

    Privacy Policy​

    All apps must post a privacy policy in both the designated field in Play Console and within the app itself. The privacy policy must, together with any in-app disclosures, comprehensively disclose how your app accesses, collects, uses, and shares user data, not limited by the data disclosed in the Data Safety section. This must include:
    • developer information and a privacy point of contact or a mechanism to submit inquiries
    • disclosing the types of personal and sensitive user data your app accesses, collects, uses, and shares; and any parties with which any personal or sensitive user data is shared
    • secure data handling procedures for personal and sensitive user data
    • the developer’s data retention and deletion policy
    • clear labeling as a privacy policy (e.g., listed as “privacy policy” in title)
    The entity (e.g., developer, company) named in the app’s Google Play listing must appear in the privacy policy or the app must be named in the privacy policy. Apps that do not access any personal and sensitive user data must still submit a privacy policy.

    Please make sure your privacy policy is available on an active URL (no PDFs) and is non-editable.

    So, I have updated the privacy policy and added this new table:

    https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/blob/master/PRIVACY.md#summary-of-shared-data

    I am not sure if it covers everything, so feedback is more than welcome. @mkasimd maybe you can take a look?

    Note that I have also enabled BIMI, Gravatars, Libravatars and favicons for the Play store version again.

    The short term goal is to release a Play store test version (and associated GitHub version) and to get the update approved. I will think about the next steps after this has been accomplished. Given the huge number of supportive messages I received (much appreciated!) the project will be continued in some form in any case.
    50
    Version 1.1900 is available on GitHub now and in the Play store test program after Google's approval (which is the main goal of this release).

    Changelog/download:
    https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/releases

    My girlfriend is slowly recovering too :)
    48
    It is time for a new, modern, open source, privacy friendly email client for Android.

    I have just released a first alpha version for feedback on the design and features.

    Not for production use yet!

    Most of the stuff basically works, but be prepared for crashes and error notifications.


    Safe email is a working name, but it is for several reasons not a convenient name, so suggestions for a name are welcome.
    37
    I have just released alpha version 0.15

    Changelog/download:
    https://github.com/M66B/open-source-email/releases

    With a bit of luck the next version can be a beta version.

    I am putting a lot of effort into this project, so thanks are appreciated.